I have been studying Isshin Shorinji Ryu style for 6 years. I cannot find out who the original master or originator of this system is. It is listed in Asian Fighting Arts as a dropped system. Someone brought this system to the USA ????

Write me off list and I'll be happy to share what little I know/understand. This was a new understanding/expression of the then Okinawan art of Isshinryu karate-do. No asian masters in the evolution of this name/art.

In response to inquiry as to the genesis of the ISSHIN-SHORINJI-RYU system of Okinawa-Te I can share from my personal experience. I studied under Soke Robert Murphy here in northern New Jersey from the fall of 1968 until approximately 1980.He was a great instructor who had studied under Shimabuku, Tatsuo and his great mentor Don Nagle. Both men were popular and well sought out leaders in furthering the arts.ISSHIN-SHORINJI-RYU literally translated means " spirit of the little forest temple", referencing Shaolin traditions in their teachings of okinawan styled karate.Most noticeable diffences were the addition of full punch, not just vertical punch, deeper Zenkutsu stances and some really technical black belt forms. Also taught were Aikijitsu techniques and Kendo.Whereas SHORINJI was primarily designed by unarmed peasants to fight "inside the sword", ISSHIN-SHORINJI added many forms for fighting "outside the sword", including many weapons forms. I have lost contact with Soke Murphy over the last ten years, but, i don't know where else it is being taught now.I estimate that he probably taught several thousand different people at varying levels over the years.

The name seems to combine two verison of Okinawan Te, one Isshin-ryu which is a mixtures of Nahate & Shurite and the other Shorinji-ryu a version of shurite but with more chinese influence, its Chuna-fa or Shorinji-Kempo. Loosely translated as Shaolin fist way.

This sound like a other then Okinawan Japan orgin way, which doesn't mean that its inferior by any means. Look at USA GOJU or Tongs Dojo.

I studied Isshin Shorinjiryu under Thomas Heriaud at the Academy of Martial Arts in Plano, Illinois, back in the 1980s, where I earned a ni-kyu. I still train, though it's been at least fifteen years since I've made it back there for instruction. Scott Francis, who still teaches the style at his dojo in Sandwich, Illinois, (http://www.dojodynamics.com) was a fellow student. I believe the Fox Valley South Family YMCA still has Isshin Shorinjiryu classes, and I believe the instructor there is Bob Wallach [sic?], who was a terrific black belt when I was still there as a young student.

Mister Heriaud was one of the late Mister James Chapman's students. I hear Mister Heriaud is mostly retired from teaching, but that he does still serve as chief judge for the Midwest Circuit karate-tournament organization. He was a peerless teacher.

The following are from the handouts we received from Mister Heriaud. I posted them on a previous inquiry about Isshin Shorinjiryu, though I can no longer find that thread. Several people posted comments, some challenging the handout’s accuracy, and I hope they repost them here so we can get and maintain a fuller and more accurate account of the style’s mostly undocumented history.

I did not write the handout and don’t know who did. I did not eyewitness the style’s development, so I’m not vouching for the handout, just passing it along in the hopes that others may vet or debunk it.

Much of the first part of the handout seems to come from a Ginchin Funokoshi book I read in high school, though I can’t remember the title.

The anonymous writer’s obvious agenda is to make Isshin Shorinjiryu appear as if it is the logical culmination of thousands of years of martial arts evolution— the ultimate karate style. It is not— there is no such thing. Styles are only as good as the people who practice them.

Okinawa-TeORIGINS AND PURPOSEOkinawa-Te (Karate) was developed through the assimilation and modification of Chuan-fa (Chinese fist arts) by the Okinawans, and incorporation of these with existing fighting methods previously adapted from various Asian martial arts.

Among the various Chuan-fa styles, the one that had the greatest impact on the development of both Chinese and Okinawan fist technique was Shaolin-szu Gung-fu.

This system is thought to have been based on a series of exercises taught by Bodhi Dharma, the Twenty-eighth Patriarch of Buddhism under Sakyamuni, and founder of the Ch'an Sect, commonly known as Zen Buddhism This system was further expanded and developed by the Warrior Monks of Shaolin Monastary.

The original concepts taught by Bodhi Dharma were contained in two volumes on Indian military arts, the I Chin Ching and Hsein Sui Ching, which he brought with him when he journeyed to China in the sixth century A.D.

These principles combined with the existing "Five Animal Forms" became the Shaolin-szu Gung-fu system. Although other Chuan-fa existed before the Shaolin-szu system, it was this system which became most widely practiced. Its growth, in part, can be paralleled by and attributed to the spread of the Ch'an Sect's teachings.

There were two schools of thought concerning individual combat, the External or Hardfist school, noted for aggressive attack technique, and the Internal sohool, noted for fluid defensive technique, and non-aggressive philosophy. The Shaolin-szu Gung-fu originally was of the former type.

As the art spread, it also changed. Lifestyles, terrain, and other military arts were fused with the original by various masters in their travels. Two distinct styles evolved. The Northern style emphasized the use of leg techniques and the Southern style emphasized the use of hand techniques,

There is no way to determine when the Chuan-fa systems were imparted to Okinawa. The Okinawans were under the cultural influence of China for some four-hundred years before the Japanese invasion in 1609 and paid tribute to the Ming rulers (1368–1644) during which time trade and the exchange of ideas and methods flourished.

What we do know is that in 1429 Lord Syo Hasshi succeeded in uniting the three Kingdorns of Okinawa by force, and that the military arts were highly regarded at that time. It can be assumed that both the Northern and Southern styles reached Okinawa, but it was the Southern style that found favor. This presents the possibility that Chuan-fa may have reached Okinawa during the period of Mongol rule (1260–1368).

During the (Northern) Sung Dynasty the capitol of China was Kai-feng in Ronan province, but with the conquest of Northern China by the Chin Tartars in 1127 the capitol was moved south to Hang Chou in Chekiang province, and so began the Southern Sung Dynasty. 1205 Genghis Khan began his ruthless campaigns which led to the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty (1260–1368) under Kublai Khan, and complete rule over north and south with the overthrow of the Sung accomplished in 1279.

Shaolin-szu Gung-fu, almost from its inception, became associated with political and self-defense societies, and in fact it was political pressure that caused the dispersion of the monks and the eventual decline of the Shaolin Monastary. During the early Yuan period, while the Sung controlled Southern China, the Hanlin-ji monastary, considered by some to be the second Shaolin-szu, where Chuan-fa was practiced, amassed 150,000 warriors and rose against Yuan rule. The rebellion was unsuccessful and the warriors were scattered. It is highly possible that as the Mongols drove south and finally conquered the Southern Sung capitol, which was close to the sea, many Chuan-fa experts sought sanctuary in other lands, one of which was Okinawa. Whatever the case, the facts on the migration of early Chuan-fa will remain vague.

On Okinawa, "Shaolin-szu Chuan-fa" was called by its Japanese equivalent, "Shorinji Kenpo." It is impossible to state exactly when Shorinji Kenpo became Okinawa-Te, but over the years the techniques took on Okinawan characteristics and were completely transformed, retaining little resemblance to the original Chinese forms.

A Te-like form was being practiced during the first demilitarization period (1430–1525). It is believed that this was the original import undergoing its first stage of revision. But it was during the second demilitarization period, beginning with the Japanese invasion by the Satsyna Clan in 1609, that Okinawa-Te emerged as a highly refined fighting art particular to the Okinawans and developed by their efforts.

The need for a highly specialized attack technique arose with tile subjegation of the Okinawan people by the Satsyna Clan Shimoza Satsuma, to guard against rebellion., confiscated everything resembling a weapon and forbade the ownership, manufacture, or import of weapons. Te spread rapidly underground and was taught and practiced secretly. This veil of secrecy accounts for the lack of factual information about its development. Even during this period when Te was in use, the only testimony to its existence was the statistics on the invaders that fell victim to its practitioners.

Originally the art was simply referred to as "Te." Gradually, as the system spread through Okinawa, the name of the town where the master resided and taught was affixed., such as: Shuri-Te, Naha-Te, and Tomari-Te. These particular towns were well known for their Te fighters, and in fact were the cradles of Okinawa-Tel

As other masters began teaching the different groups came to be called "ryus" (style or school) and were usually named after the teachers of the ryu, such as, Kobayashi-ryu, Metobu-ryu, etc. This method identified the practitioner with a particular master.

Contrary to popular belief, Student-masters did rot break away from their Masters to start new systems, but simply began teaching away from the central school as the demand for instruction increased, and normally with the approval, and in many cases at the request of their masters. Names came into use simply as a method of identification, as one would state his city and state rather than just his country when asked where he lives. Although many ryus developed, the differences were few, as the techniques in most cases were simply stylized by the individual masters. Where new technique did exist, it was soon assimulated by the various ryus.

Very little factual information is available on the early Te masters or methods. As stated previously, the Okinawans adapted the External or Hardfist method of Shaolin-szu Chuan-fa as the most practical for their needs, and this gave birth to Okinawa-Te. Later in its development it split into two approaches to the application of technique. There was little emphasis on this until masters

Anhou Itosu and Kanruo Higaonna developed them into two distinct schools of thought. Their schools came to be known as Shorin and Shorei.

Both of these masters were students of Warrior-Master Sokan Matsumura.

Matsumura is now considered to be the patriarch of Okinawa-Te, and is probably the man most responsible for the organization of the various techniques under a single ryu

It is with Sokan Matsumura that the factual history of Okinawa Te begins. Matsumura was noted to be a Samurai of exceptional skill in all military arts, and especially in the fist arts. He was retained by Sakugawa of Shari during the late 18th century. His position and reputation afforded him opportunities to study with many of the Te masters as well as the Chinese masters residing in Okinawa. Because of this we may assume that his knowledge of the existing methods was broader than others of his day. Due to his knowledge and skill, many practitioners sought his instruction. Two of these were to become more famous than their master. They were Itosu and Higaonna .

They went on to spread the teachings of their master, although their methods differed from his as well as from one another's. The differences probably came about naturally due to differences in physique and structure. Regardless, it was with these man that systemized training and style began.

The teachings of Master Itosu evolved into the Shorin school. Its students trained for speed and agility. The preference was toward flexible defenses, evasion, subtle changes in position, and long-range attacks using rapid combinations of technique. Their technique was based on the theory of the katas Naiuhanchi, Ku San Ku and Chinto.

The teachings of Master Higaonna evolved into the Shorei school. Its students trained for great muscular strength, and preferred direct blocks, little change in position, and strong crushing attacks launched at close range, usually holding on to their adversaries. Their technique was based on the theory of the katas Sanchin and Seiuchin.

Though the Shorei school in its pure form was short-lived due to its lack of flexibility, both masters developed many excellent students who went on to expand, refine, and spread the teachings. Some studied both schools; others journeyed to China to continue their research under well known masters of Chuan-fa.

From the Itosu school came Choku Motobu, who taught a variation which came to be known as Motoburyu Naha-Te. The he Itosu school also produced Chojun Miyagi, who combined principles of the Internal Chuan-fa system, which he studied in Fukien province during a two year stay in China, with the Shorei methods to found the Goju system. Goju eventually replaced the original Shorei. This school was the first to introduce a marriage of Hard and Soft, based on the Theory of Sanchin and Tensho katas. Master Miyagi is generally credited with the creation of both katas, but it is likely that he created only the Tensho, after a sojourn to China, based on a variation of the Sil Lum Praying Mantis Chuan-fa method, and revised the Sanchin kata. With the exception of Miyagi, these masters gained fame through the introduction of their ryus to Japan.

During this time there were masters of equal or greater skill on Okinawa whose fame cannot be credited to Japanase influence, but who deserve rocognition if one is to understand the growth of Karate.

We do not know who first referred to "Okinawa-Te" as "Karate." It was with the introduction of the art to Japan that the name took hold. The art was first introduced to Japan in 1917 by Master Funakoshi, who came art the request of the Japanese government. After a demonstration of the art he returned to Okinawa only to come back in 1921, at which time he took up residence and began teaching in Waseda University. Shortly thereafter Masters Miyagi, Maburi and Motobu introduced their styles.

Although Karate was demonstrated in Los Angeles California by Norimichi Yabe in 1920, it was not until the early 1950s that formal instruction was given in the U.S. Credit for this must be given to Master Tsutomu Oshima, a student of Master Funakoshi. Through his efforts the Shotokan Karate system established a firm base in America.

Overseas, the ban on martial arts training imposed by General Douglas McArthur was lifted, exposing U.S. servicemen to the training. In the late 1950s and early 1960s many returned and opened small training halls across the country.

In 1963 and again in 1965 Okinawan Grand Master Shimabuku Tatsuo visited the U.S. to give instructions to his followers.

Master Shimabuku began his study under his uncle, a well known master of Shuri-Te, and spent the rest of his life in the study and teachings of Okinawa-Te. For twenty-six years he studied various styles. From his uncle's tutelage he went on to study Kobayashiryu under Master Chotuku Kiyan and Naha-Te under Choku Motobu. He then turned to Goju system and Master Chojun Miyagi. In both the Shorin and Goju systems Master Shimabuku was awarded 8th Dan for his outstanding skill and knowledge.

During World War II Shimabuku Tatsuo’s reputation as a master of Okinawa-Te caused the Japanese occupation forces to take him into custody and force him to teach. It was during this period that he formulated the methods which later came to be known as Isshinryu.

He decided to combine certain aspects of the various systems which he found most practical for his own use, and discarded those which were not suited to his physical structure and concepts of combat. He chose certain forms of the Goju system, but the basis in both form and performance is the Kobayashi Shorin system. He also incorporated the most advanced Bojutsu systems, which he studied under Masters Hirara Shinken and Yabe Kumoden. The outstanding features of his system were the exclusive use of the short vertical fist punch and the rapid delivery of technique in combination.

In 1957 Master Don Nagle, a student of Master Shimabuku, began teaching Isshinryu Karate in the U.S. Of his original students, four of his most promising went on to spread the system in the East and Midwest: James Chapman, Ryzard Neimeira, Robert Murphy and Gary Alexander.

Master Murphy began his study of the martial arts, with JuJutsu and Judu, as a member of the U.S. Marine Corps in 1954. His interest in the martial arts led him to seek a greater understanding of the underlying principles and philosophies through the study of various arts and systems: Tang Soo Do, Hung Shaolin Gung-fu, Baa Hak Pai Chuan-fa, Shorinjiryu, Aikijutsu, and several Robujutsu systems. In 1965 he was awarded Fourth Dan, and in 1967 Fifth Dan by Master Nagle. In 1969 Master Shimabuku awarded him master’s certification in Isshinryu Karate and Kobujutsu arts. In 1962 he resigned as Director of the Isshando Karate Association to open his own training halls, the Academies of Martial Arts in North Bergen, Weehawken, and Hoboken, N.J.

Master Murphy became Headmaster of the International Institute of Judo and Karate in 1965 and held that post until 1970. He also joined the faculty of the College of Saint Elizabeth and Fairieigh Dickinson University and established two of the largest karate groups in the U.S. In these and in Middlesex County College, Karate has become an accredited course of study. Since Master Murphy organized Karate International in 1965, institutions throughout the state have recognized the value of martial arts training and have accepted programs under his supervision. At St. Joseph's High School in Metuchen, N.J., for the first time in the U.S., varsity and junior varsity letters were presented to students participation in Karate training. The coaches' and outstanding Athlete Awards were also given to members of the club.

Karate International Incorporated was organized for the purpose of training professional instructors, standardizing training and sport competition methods, and expanding teaching capabilities to encompass all Asian studies and to accommodate educational, recreational, and business establishments, thereby benefiting all levels of society.

Master Murphy established his main training hall in Parsippany, New Jersey in 1970, the largest facility of its kind on the East coast, and entirely designed and built by his students.

In 1968, based on the evaluation of his various studies, Master Murphy founded the system of Isshin-Shorinjiryu Okinawa-Te. This is a discipline based on the consolidation of various bodies of knowledge about the Asian arts, and is recognized as one of the more fully developed methods of teaching, allowing a student to fully assimilate the broadened scope of knowledge and techniques of various styles.

After the formulation of the Isshin-Shorinji system, Masters James Chapman and Ralph Cherico of the Isshinryu system found Master Murphy's concepts of training and philosophy to be more in keeping with the true goals of the ancient masters and joined with him and Master Leo Weber in spreading those concepts.

Master Chapman was a close friend and associate of Master Murphy from early training days. He also assisted in the formation of the Academies of Martial Arts and the Society of Black Belts of America. Master Chapman opened an Academy branch in Aurora, Illinois in 1963 and sponsored both the Illinois State Championships and the Tri-State Tournament. Master Chapman lost his life in an auto accident in the spring of 1971, a blow to the Karate world.

In 1965 Masters Cherico and Murphy met while training with Master Shimabuku. In 1957 Master Cherico, well known for his tournament participation and fair judging, converted to Isshin-Shorinji, and became a staff instructor of Karate International in 1970 and Regional Supervisor in 1971.

Master Weber was a student of JuJutsu until he met Master Murphy in 1961. From that day on an unwavering friendship developed. Credit for the realization of many of the hopes of Master Murphy can be given to him, as he laid the foundation for the development of Karate International Incorporated, and became its first Vice President.

In 1971, Isshin Shorinjiryu Okinawa-Te was incorporated as a fraternal order guided by a board of trustees and elected officers from the membership, whose purpose is to guide the system according to its philosophy: Harmony of Principle, Integrity in Purpose, and Mutual Benefit.

Master Murphy feels that in a time of turmoil and uncertainty, people need a deeper understanding of themselves. He hopes Isshin-Shorinjiryu will give direction to that quest. It is easily seen that Karate was more than a were method of defending one's self. It is a demonstration of life as it could be and life as it should be, harmonizing elements of violent struggle with simple beauty and peace.

Karate is a scale of individual achievement, a very personal art which offers a great deal for those who have the foresight to seek it out.

Isshin Shorinji RyuOkanawa TeBelt Requirements

Yellow Belt (Seventh Kyu/Sichi Kyu)kata kiaieight-point soft block n/afourteen-point hard block n/aTaikyoku Ichi Third punch, second set of three punchesTaikyoku Ni Third punch, second set of three punchesTaikyoku San Third punch, second set of three punches

Brown Belt (Third Kyu/San Kyu)kata kiaiSanchin-Dai Last single punch after second turnSanseru Last pickup technique

Brown Belt (Second Kyu/Ni Kyu)kata kiaiSeisan First backfist from cat stance; Before executing front kick from catSeiunchin Vertical punch; First backfist Second uppercut; Last backfistNijushio First elbow; Punch to prone opponent Under punch; Last U-punch

Brown Belt (First Kyu/I Kyu)kata kiaiNaiuhanchi Ichi Last block and punchNaiuhanchi Ni First release or throwNaiuhanchi San Last backfistJute Third palm heel; Last cross block and side block Last eye and throat strike

When I came to SIU in Carbondale I met a black belt named Scott Vogt who trained under one of Mister Murphy's students, and Scott gave me the following, which I've subsequently found online (though I can't remember or find the URL). I have edited out allegations about Mister Murphy that I cannot verify. The edits are marked by elipses (...):

OKINAWA TEAn Historical OverviewMr. Woodrow Jensen was trained by Sensei Robert Murphy in Parsippany, New Jersey. The rank of second-degree black belt was conferred by Sensei Murphy i n August of 1971. Third-degree rank was conferred by Douglas Hodges of Karate Institute in September of 1976. The last promotion was more of a generic promotion in karate, rather than for a specific karate system.

Further promotion by Sensei Murphy was not possible due to a series of events which occurred within the system of Isshin Shorinji Ryu Okinawa Te over a period of about six years starting in 1972. To put these events in perspective, this historical overview will follow the instructional careers of both Sensei Robert Murphy and Woodrow Jensen.

Karate basic technique performance closely follows the style of technique execution as illustrated by the work of Nishiyama and Brown in the book, Karate: The Art of Empty Hand Fighting .

Isshin Shorinji Ryu prospered in the period of 1969–71. It had an enrollment of about 210-plus active Karateka and 25–30 black belts....

The main dojo was closed in Parsippany, New Jersey.... For the next few years, up until about 1978, there were various school locations with none really succeeding financially. As of 1980 there was no active school or system.

In 1973, Mr. Jensen moved from New Jersey to attend graduate school at the University of Wyoming. A karate club named Okinawa Te was started in January 1974. An attempt was made to reestablish ties with Sensei Murphy and the Isshin Shorinji Ryu system.... The ties with Isshin Shorinji were dissolved as a result of this situation.

Mr. Jensen took the old Isshin Shorinji Ryu grade requirements and modified them slightly. This became the basis for Okinawa Te as it was taught at the University of Wyoming from 1973–78 During the years 1977–78, a partnership between Mr. Jensen and Douglas D. Hodges was initiated. It was an attempt to strengthen Okinawa Te by establishing ties with the national organization of Karate Institute and to draw upon Sensei Hodges's kill and expertise in Judo, combat strategy, and competitive karate. In pursuing their separate professional careers, only partial success was achieved in development of Okinawa Te. Career opportunities resulted in the separation of these two individuals.

Mr. Jensen has published the following articles: "How to Start a Karate Club on Campus," Black Belt, April 1977; "What to Expect If You Take a Karate Course In College, " Black Belt, April 1977; " Retention of New Students a Formula for a Beginner's Program," Karate Illustrated, July 1977; and "The Hard Way, How to Judge Kata," Karate Illustrated, February 1978.

As part of the masters degree requirements in physical education at the University of Wyoming, a thesis was completed entitled: Curriculum Content for Introductory Karate Courses in Physical Education at Selected Four-Year Colleges and Universities in the United States.

In January of 1979 Mr. Jensen left the University of Wyoming for employment in Rapid City, South Dakota. Administration and instruction of the Okinawa Te Karate Club was turned over the Mr. Rod Lindgren. The current instructor is Mr. Joseph Hageman. Mr. Hageman started in Mr. Jensen's original beginners' class of 1974. He became the Okinawa Te instructor in the Fall of 1979 and has done an excellent job of both programming and expanding enrollment. Mr. Jensen currently serves the Okinawa Te Karate Club in an advisory capacity and as an aid in grade certification.

Thank you, Sensei Lindgren, for posting to the FightingArts thread. I let the few other current and former Isshin Shorinjiryu students and teachers with whom I am still in contact know about your post and website— hopefully they’ll contact you directly or post here.

I have many questions about the style, its origins, and evolution... but it’s a little late right now to think about that. Sometime soon! Meanwhile, I’m glad to know you found this thread and would love to hear about your many reasons for searching out other Isshin Shorinjiryu practitioners!

Thanks for writing, Chris. I have heard from some of the people you mentioned and will write to them yet tonight.

To answer your question about why I am looking for other Isshin Shorinjiryu practitioners, I have to say a little bit about the history of the University of Wyoming Club under Sensei Woody Jensen.

First of all, Sensei Jensen was a great technician. The club was offered through the University's non-credit Adult Education program. In the brochure, Sensei described his class as "a nuts-and-bolts approach".

While Woody was teaching and living in Wyoming, Master Murphy was changing the style. It was always evolving. Sensei Jensen was not able to catch all the changes, so I imagine the styles have drifted apart.

I felt that Sensei Jensen's teaching was very valuable. Realizing that it probably was not precisely what Master Murphy was teaching, I felt I had reached the end of the road as far as progressng further in the style. I thought that Sensei Jensen's black belts might feel the same way.

The logical step out of the end of the line was for us to form an organization with the purpose of continuing to grow in the style Woody taught.

This never came to fruition.

I have studied other styles, but I am never quite completely satisfied. Woody's understanding and teaching of the small detail has been hard to match. I have a good relationship with the martial artist in my area, but I have not been able to establish a regular work out schedule.

One of the schools in my area (near Lake Tahoe on the Nevada side) is taught by an excellent Ishhin Ryu teacher, Diane Ortenzio. She is the wife of the Master Toby Cooling, who studied Isshin Ryu with Master Murphy.

I am a videographer and would really love to find the best examples of our art and record it on DVD. I have several hours of VHS tape from our old class, including a DVD made from an original 8mm film documentary produced by Mike Donnell when I was an first kyu brown belt. Mike was a student of Sensei Jensen and one of my closest friends. This video was a cinematography class project.

I would enjoy meeting and corresponding with other students of this art and see where the path leads.

I received a VCD of an Isshin Shorinjiryu stylist who came from the Woodrow Jensen branch of the style. I only have had time to take a cursory glance at it thus far. I was fascinated by how some of the forms were so strikingly different from what Sensei Vogt taught me, and even further removed from what I learned from Sensei Heriaud. A few of the kata looked like unadulterated Isshinryu forms.

Isshin Shorinjiryu obviously and quickly decentralized, whether or not that was the intent.

I was pretty surprised by this— variation in kata in feudal Japan and Okinawa was easy to predict, because of the lack of video, the need to maintain secrecy due to the demilitarization edicts and the resulting lack of written records, and lack of motorized transportation. No video, no books, a student moves about twenty miles away— coupled with human imperfection, suddenly huge variations emerge in a kata.

As I wrote above in the Fighting Arts thread, since coming to Carbondale in 1987, I’ve had little opportunity to return and work out with Sensei Heriaud— Carbondale is about six hours away from Aurora, Yorkville, and Sandwich, which is basically where Mister Heriaud and his students taught Isshin Shorinjiryu. I used to work out when I visited my parents, but they moved to downtown Chicago after about 1990, and I have not been back since.

Carbondale has some wonderful martial-arts instructors. When I first came here to attend SIU, I worked out with several— moo duk kwon tae kwon do, aikido, boxing, and a very little muai Thai. I think it helped me to become more well-rounded— aikido and boxing in particular took the footwork I had already been taught and made me think about and apply it in new ways. The moo duk kwon and aikido instructor, Guido Bernstein, is a spectacular martial artist and teacher. A Bill Wallace fan, he improved my kicking a great deal, especially my kicking combinations. We even attended a Bill Wallace seminar, which was a huge eye-opener.

But it wasn’t the same. I never developed an enchantment with what was available in Carbondale. This is more a reflection on my limitations than on the instructors in Carbondale. My heart was simply in Isshin Shorinjiryu. My reason for taking the other styles was simply to keep sharp for Sensei Heriaud’s classes— I was interested in learning the moo duk kwon forms, I guess, but not committed to them, and I think that attitude hurt my enthusiasm for the rest of the curriculum.

Similar to your description of Sensei Jensen, Sensei Heriaud stressed getting the tiniest details perfect. The differences between, say, Isshin Shorinjiryu and moo duk kwon were hard for me to keep distinct— the back stances in moo duk kwon and Isshin Shorinjiryu were different, for example, and I wound up in back stances that were neither fish nor fowl, just half-assed, and I knew it.

At some point, I just began working out on my own. I bought a punching bag and try to keep enough open space in my house or on my patio to practice kata.

Since the advent of the internet, I’ve performed sporadic searches for Isshin Shorinjiryu and Mister Heriaud, but found extremely few hits, none substantive. I think it was in summer 2003 that I finally came across Sensei Carr’s page, and we corresponded a bit. Sensei Carr put me back in touch with Sensei Scott Francis, with whom I’ve traded more than a few emails.

I finally found a hit on the FightingArts site and posted the handouts I received from Senseis Heriaud and Vogt (above). The history page on your site contains much of the same material as the handout from Sensei Heriaud. Large portions of it look verbatim, in fact, so I wonder whether it originated with either Sensei Murphy or one of his senior students.

After a recent Carbondale martial-arts tournament, I felt inspired to learn the rest of the Isshin Shorinjiryu kata, and someone was kind enough to send a DVD and VCD to guide me.

In addition, Sensei Heriaud required black-belt candidates to complete a research paper. Ever since 1987 or so, I’ve been kicking around topics, but I’ve never settled on one, though some ideas are now starting to take shape. Maybe this will help me focus a little; maybe someone will suggest a topic that resonates with me.

So that’s where I am right now, and that’s probably far more than anyone wants to know.